Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m delighted to be returning to the tangled drama of Dear Brother, wherein Nanako has found herself isolated from basically everything that once brought her comfort or security. Thanks to Shinobu’s expert manipulation, Nanako’s best friend Tomoko has abandoned her, and now refuses even to answer her phone calls. Through the cruel performances of Miya-sama, it has become abundantly clear that the Sorority is essentially a kind of cult, with Miya-sama as its tyrannical leader. And even at home, the secrets her parents are keeping regarding Henmi’s identity mean they can no longer serve as confidants. The last shot of our preceding episode made Nanako’s position wincingly clear, casting her as isolated in shadow before a veil of tearful raindrops.

All of this is a real bummer for Nanako, but an absolute dramatic feast for us in the bleachers. Riyoko Ikeda is clearly a master of melodrama, spinning a variety of narrative plates with grace while ensuring Nanako’s experience feels tense and propulsive rather than simply hopeless. And Dezaki is the perfect director for this tale of woe, with his evocative compositions and clever manipulation of lighting raising Nanako’s trials into a decadent realm of visual theater. I’m frankly not sure what else Nanako still has to lose, but I’m eager to find out. Let us return to the imposing halls of Seiran Academy, and see what our unfortunate teens get up to next!

Episode 6

At this point, the imagery and lyrics of the OP all seem to fit neatly to Nanako’s journey. She is abandoning the doll-like innocence of the past, carried away on a chariot of silver that will introduce her to the sorrows of the world as she grows into maturity, a cascade of tears hanging in the air to mark her passage. Her “golden bowl of happiness” is here represented through the music box, tying it to her nostalgic memories of Henmi

The fact that we cannot see the face of her older self, either because it is veiled by the umbrella or simply illustrated as a silhouette, also seems significant – Nanako is familiar with her younger self, but is uncertain who she is becoming

At lunch, Nanako is whispered about and bullied by the non-Sorority students. It seems her status as a Sorority member offers her no defense against the jealousy of the other students, which makes perfect dramatic sense. In order to survive in this world, Nanako will need to become as independent and ferocious as her new companions

Love this bombastic musical cue as Miya-sama and her subordinates roll up. This production is absolutely realizing this story in the spirit it was intended

In spite of seeing Saint-Juste’s injury reflected in Miya-sama’s offered hand, Nanako nonetheless takes it. “Don’t be discouraged,” whispers Miya-sama as she passes, seemingly accustomed to performing strength in the face of her doubters. The promise of Nanako exploiting this apprenticeship to become one of the school’s new lords is a sinfully tantalizing hook

Leave it to Shinobu to dispense with majesty in favor of revenge, immediately calling out the girls who were talking shit

“Lost and Alone.” It’s a goddamn jungle out there, Nanako

At home, the talks with her parents which were once a source of comfort are now simply another performance, as she pretends that everything is fine with Tomoko, and that she’s greatly enjoying her high school life. Her face is hidden from the camera as she lies to her father, then revealed as she practices her performance in the mirror

“How can I possibly say such a thing?” Nanako is swiftly learning to rely only on herself. The only concession she allows is the hope of again meeting her big brother

That shot of the tower guides us back to school as always, this time simultaneously announcing a heavy rain

Instead of their usual class, there’s going to be strength testing in the gym. I generally tend to associate character dramas like this with more slow-burning conflicts, but Dear Brother is absolutely brimming with smaller dramatic hooks. The grandiose interplay of the school’s three icons ensures every new group event is an opportunity for thrilling faceoffs

Nanako’s bag containing her gym clothes is missing. Shinobu immediately calls out that daughter of a rat dog Misaki

“You’re getting absent-minded due to being chosen as a Sorority member.” Misaki’s cronies are unfortunately mediocre hecklers

“Tomoko seems to be avoiding you lately. Did you two… have a quarrel?” Oh Shinobu, you absolute snake

Love this closing shot of Shinbou half-concealed in shadow, emphasizing the contrast between her polite face and true nature

And consistently excellent use of the raindrops through the window, casting shadows like tears over these unhappy revelations

In spite of Tomoko’s unwillingness to lend Nanako her gym clothes, she still defends her against the cruel lies of her classmates. Tomoko is bitter and jealous and confused, and absent any further confounding variables, the two of them could undoubtedly talk this situation out. Unfortunately, this is Seiran Academy, where every single student is auditioning to become an evil stepmother

“You couldn’t get them? Why? Why not?” Speak of the devil. Shinobu is the kind of character the term “magnificent bastard” was made for

It’s ultimately Kaoru who comes through with a set of spare gym clothes, once again proving herself Nanako’s only unconditional supporter at Seiran

“I found myself entirely encircled by Kaoru-no-Kimi… all that morning, I felt I had the ability to keep going.” An exceedingly romantic framing, and one that echoes Kaoru’s general image of a strong, masculine protector. I’m quite intrigued by this show’s gender politics; its girls’ school setting and the dreamlike presentation of Nanako’s brother make men feel like a distant and fanciful concept, while the contrast of Kaoru, Saint-Juste, and Miya-sama provides a unique formulation of masculine versus feminine power

On her way to her afternoon class, Nanako is waylaid by a trio of violent sophomores who demand she resign from the Sorority

Nanako is at last gaining the strength to defend herself, defiantly shouting that there was no injustice, and she doesn’t know why she was chosen

She is no longer afraid of these students; seeing the anger, jealousy, and sorrow in their eyes, she pities them, and only fears that she might one day be like them. Outside, we see the sun has been blotted out by the tower of Seiran, a clear enough metaphor for this school’s fundamental nature

And so Nanako decides to leave the Sorority before it ruins anything else

Nanako at last finds her sports bag, with her gym clothes inside cut to ribbons

I can’t fault her logic; it seems the only way to have a good time at Seiran is to avoid the Sorority entirely

As with the silhouetted birds accompanying the attack by the sophomores, Nanako’s rush to quit the Sorority is again marked by a flight of birds, an obvious symbol of escape

Nanako comes across Miya-sama riding a white horse, a “princely” activity matched by her androgynous jockey suit. The riding crop at her side emphasizes the ever-present threat of violence

“If you quit, you would be giving in to the rumors and slander.” Miya-sama embodies her own unapologetic ideal of strength. Rather than retreating from and scorning the school’s institutions, she is determined to command them herself

“I will protect you from those people. I will always be happy to extend my hand on your behalf.” Her eyes are warm, but is this just a reprise of words she once offered to Saint-Juste? Placing her palm over Nanako’s hand, her words seem to carry an unspoken threat, emphasizing how she can either inflict or shield against violence as she wishes

Alone after school, Nanako again thinks back to her confrontation with Tomoko. God, her disbelieving smile as Tomoko rejects her is excruciating, like she’s briefly trying to convince herself this is all some bad joke

In this moment of utter despair, Nanako happens across Henmi outside a bookshop

“What are you doing out so late? Well, it doesn’t matter. Eventually you’ll tell me in a letter.” Nanako agrees with a genuine smile. Henmi is now the only remaining constant in her life, the only link back to her former happiness, and his insistence that their relationship hasn’t changed is a great assurance

Aw jeez. In order to protect that sliver of happy normalcy, she chooses to lie in her letter, disavowing all of the pain and hardship of high school. Once again, we see Nanako as reflected in her mirror, composing the performance she must present to the world

And Done

My god, Nanako! We once again leave our heroine stranded in a cold and isolating rain, the light of her bedroom presented as a lonely island in an endless storm. Even escape via leaving the Sorority now seems impossible, with Miya-sama having flatly denied her last hope for normalcy and happiness. Nanako now finds herself surrounded by liars and saboteurs, unable to articulate her true feelings to those who love her, and abandoned by her closest friend. Only Kaoru seems to both understand and sympathize with her situation, and the last we saw of her was her shuddering, retreating back, still caught in the grip of whatever malady plagues her. With her malaise so vividly realized through visual metaphor and antagonistic lighting, I’m not sure how much more heartbreak I can stand. Please, someone give this girl a win!

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